"I'm glad the French have discovered responsibility. If they want, we will help them. Let them open their ports and we will transfer a few of the people to France," Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said.

Italy recalled its French ambassador after Macron's comments. In a speech Wednesday, Salvini demanded an apology from the French leader -- challenging Paris to take in migrants it promised to bring in under a European Union agreement.

The Aquarius remains at sea south of Sicily, and will land in Valencia around Saturday, Doctors Without Borders said.